MA--Boston--SNAP to Cardinal O’Malley

MA--Boston--SNAP to Cardinal O’Malley

The Church needs to do more to protect children, help survivors, as well as live up to its promise of being open and transparent.

WHAT

Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, Boston clergy sex abuse victims will be speaking out after the premiere of the movie “Spotlight” here in Boston this weekend, and giving their personal feelings viewing it, along with what action the church needs to take to protect children and help wounded survivors.

They will also urge Cardinal O’Malley, as the head of the Pontifical Commission, to urge Pope Francis to take concrete action punishing, firing, and defrocking known Cardinals, Bishops, and Supervisors, who are responsible for the cover-ups and destruction of children’s lives by protecting criminal clerics in their care, as well as other actions, that will protect children.

These are actions that will protect children, and send the message that the church is serious about children’s safety.

WHEN

Sunday, Nov. 8, 2015 at 11:45 am

WHERE

Outside the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Boston

1400 Washington St, Boston, MA 02118

WHO

Two-four members of a self-help group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), and supporters, including Mark Vincent Healy, a survivor from Dublin, Ireland, who was one of the European survivors who met with Pope Francis at the Vatican in 2014

WHY

With the release of the movie, “Spotlight” this weekend, the eyes and ears of the world will see played out on the big screen the shameful truth of the cover-ups of child sexual abuse by the leadership of the Catholic Church all the way up to the Pope, who were and are complicit of this reality even today.

We are concerned that “Spotlight” may trigger other victims memory’s, victims who may still be trapped in silence, shame and self-blame. We encourage them to come forward speak with police and began healing process.